The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-08-25
HIS BOY.
BY TOM P. MORGAN.

The sun had long since dropped be-
hind the scrubby "jack oaks on Hicks
Knob. There was no moon in sight,
but the dancing stars that, winking and
blinking so merrily at each other,
seemed mildly flirting the night hours
away, shed subtle CLEAN of light down
upon the winding road. At either hand
the dense forest of Southern Missouri
stretched away, broken only by the
knolls ("knobs" the squatters call them)
that reared their scraggy heads at unex-
pected places. Far off to the right a
sleepy rain-crow, that had been hustled
off from his perch by his uneasy mate,
gave utterance to his harsh, uncanny,
squawking cry, which sounded much as
if his vocal organs sadly needed oiling.
The shadows at the foot of the great
piebald stem of the tall sycamore. were
dense and black, and, close to the road
side just opposite, the shades of the lit
tie clump of red-bud trees were inky
and irregular in outline. Presently one
of the patches of darkness moved little
and Boulson's hoarse voice whispered
loudly:
"see anything yits"
''Dad blame it all, MOI" answered
Deputy Sheriff Hanks from the opposite
shadow.
oval, sher'f, this is picnic, to be
Shore" philosophical Boulson. "Can't
be helped, / reckon, but somehow ]
amt mashed on hevin' spiders an sich
crawlin' up and down my back like
they've been doin' for the last hour. I'm
mighty hungry for a smoke just now."
"Abe, too, but it won't do"
"Know that. Consarn that scoun-
drel! I'll feel like shootin' him just for
luck when he comes, if he ever does"
"Me, too" whispered the deputy
sheriff again. "Only we mustn't, less
we halter Had too long chase to
waste him now, eh, Boulson9"
"You betw that worthy whispered
hoarsely. "But eff he hain't powerful
cafful we'll tunk him on the ground q
time or two jest kinder on general prin.
ciples, added Hanks
"That's what" answered Boulson.
"More'n a month we've ben after
him. went on the deputy, "and now
we're not goin' to low him to give us
the slip. Hain't got no requisition tc
| take him back to Kansas Don't need
none, l reckon. This is as good requi
| sition as want"
! Hanks thrust his hand out into the
starlight, and the huge revolver hi
grasped cleaned balefully.
"Plenty good enough, answered Boul
son. "Won't be no trouble about nc
| papers wen we take him back, reck
on, went on Hanks "The boys'll settle
his case. Hoss stealin' don't call for nc
trial in Kansas"
"Yu bet yer life" replied Boulson.
'Thar he comes row," whispered
Deputy Sheriff Hanks, as dark, gal
Looping figure came in view, swiftly des
cending the winding road down the sidt
of Hicks Knob Then the shadows at thu
foot of the sycamore and by the red-bud
clump grew rigid and silent. For many
long days these two determined men ha6
been on the trail of the man who now
galloped toward them. At last the long
hunt seemed about to end. What tn,
riders fate would be Hanks had ex
pressed in the sentence, 'sHoss stealth
don't call for no trial in Kansas"
| "Wonder if he's got Kit7" half whis
pered the deputy. Bay Kittie had beer
the pride and delight of Hanks heart
and when, after many depredations, tn,
night rider had stolen the bay pace
from the deputy, that worthy swore tn,
most diabolical vengeance that he coult
conceive of, and in company will
Boulson followed the trail with the vim
dictiveness of bulldog.
The footballs of the approaching hors,
beat musically upon the turf, and tn
rider could be seen peering keenly ahead
When the horses head had almos
reached the sycamore, a dark figur
sprang from the red-bud shade, pointing
one of the self-cocking requisitions a
the heart of the rider. The horse stop
ped with a snort
Cup with yer handsp cried Boul
son.
The rider threw one hand to his hi
and, like fash, half drew a weapon
The sycamore's shadow sprang upo
him, pinioned his arms to his sides, an,
moment later threw him prone to tn
earth with his knee on the heavin
chest. Boulson tied the horse and wen
to the aid ofthe deputy. Together the
turned their prisoner over and shackle
him. Hanks asked as they rose to thei
feet: "Was it Kate9"
Il no"
j If the deputy handled the prison